People in junior communications roles in the voluntary sector are experiencing falling average salaries but the opposite is true for those at senior level, with directors taking home nearly £60,000.

CharityComms: Figures show growing polarisation between small and large organisations

The growing disparity was evidenced by a survey of 629 people in the voluntary sector by CharityComms, the representative body for comms workers in charities, and recruitment consultancy TPP Not for Profit.

Role

2014 average salary (£)

2013

Change

Assistant/Co-ordinator

21,676

22,850

-5%

Executive/Officer

27,340

26,972

1%

Senior Executive/Officer

32,130

33,574

-4%

Manager/Lead

35,463

35,110

1%

Head of

45,456

43,621

4%

Director

58,052

56,517

3%

Natalie Ponting from TPP Not For Profit said that one of the reasons for this disparity was the loss of junior level jobs due to financial difficulties faced by charities. She believed those junior roles had been dissolved, with responsibilities passed on to more senior employees or volunteers.

Ponting said: "That whole entry-level role has disappeared, which makes it difficult for new people getting into the sector."

The survey also showed large organisations are paying their comms staff more than last year but small and medium-sized organizations are paying less.

Size of organisation

2014 average salary (£)

+/- overall average

2013

+/- overall average

Large

37,232

6.5%

35,141

1.9%

Medium

32,281

-7.8%

34,634

0.5%

Small

30,085

-15.7%

31,709

-8.7%

Overall

34,796

34,468

Ponting said: "With a glut of exec-level candidates out there, small organisations simply don’t need to offer higher salaries to attract staff. They may also be trying to get more value for money by hiring more junior staff who can take on other responsibilities as well."

The survey also showed that the average salary for women is 15 per cent less than that for men.